Goodell wants handheld TVs available for stadium patrons

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...dium-experience-needs-to-be-better-than-home/

PFTs piece about enhancing the stadium experience has merit, but honestly, I'm starting to wonder why I even bother going to the games myself?

For me... to go to a Titans game in Nashville, it involves the following:

3 hour road trip each way = $50 in a gas
parking = $20
cheap tickets = $100
tailgate food and beer = $40

not to mention the walk to the stadium (for those that don't have lot passes) the 30 min wait at the gates when you are shoulder to shoulder with a sea of people, the 20 minute uphill walk, the subsequent $5 gatorade when you reach the top, any stadium food, etc etc. watch the game for 3 hours and head back home. Oh yeah, sometimes its FREEZING cold during the games, and seats are very small and not to mention the hassle of getting to and from your seats.

so what makes more sense? doing all of that? or sittin in your pjs, on your sofa, with cheap food and any game at your disposal + goTitans chat?

I'm not saying that we should all stop going to the games, but as the article implies, the fans are wising up. As my illustration above states, it costs about $200 (give or take for tickets, gas, parking) for me and a friend to see a game. Handheld TVs with the NFL Redzone channel won't make fans suddenly flock back to stadiums.

What do you guys think that the NFL can do to enhance the stadium experience? Specifically at LP?

I have a few requests:

> The line to get in LP Field. Maybe I should get to stadium 2 hours early and watch Bironas practice at 10:00am, or maybe I think that just cuts into my beer drinking and bbq'in time. None the less, the line is a huge problem and a safety concern. You could easily get pick pocketed or being the wrong place at the wrong time should a fight or other crisis break out.

> The elements: As much as I like being at LP in January (That usually means there is a home playoff game) somehow, scientists should come up with a method to keep the fans warm other than booze and being extremely close to other fans. When its under 15 degrees outside, not many people are willing to drag their kids out in that, thus the tickets get sold or people do not attend. Sure, maybe we could just buy more Titans swag to keep warm with, but thats kind of a hard thing to accomplish, if the concern is getting people to actually come to more games.

> The season: Lets say your team is 5-8 and out of the playoff hunt. Needless to say, doesn't matter if you are the colts or the raiders, there are gonna be PLENTY of open seats for the remaining games. There needs to be something to play for. Sadly, when teams are this point, some fans would rather see the team lose to get better draft picks at the end of the season. I'm sure the front office of a few franchises have thought this as well. Even teams, like the Colts, who were 14-2 pretty much threw the last 2 games. If I paid $200 per seat (Go look at the prices of colt tickets) I want to see the starters play the entire game. No one pays that much money to see the B team play. There have to be incentives to finish the season. Maybe an NFL consolation bracket? Maybe we should structure players contracts. They get a bigger paycheck with a W, and a much smaller paycheck for a L regardless of the point of the season. Maybe we could expand the playoffs to include a few more teams?

These are just a few of my suggestions and concerns. What do you guys think?

 

Also, how hard would it be to install giant 2 way escalators on the ramps at LP? The maintenance may be a tricky issue, or it may be their way of saying.. "Stop buying cheap tickets" regardless someone HAS to sit up there.

Also, what about having more concerts before the games? This would work very well in Nashville. Have a notable band or performer come out maybe 30 mins before kick off and sing a few songs.

Maybe I'm asking for too much, but honestly, us fans have not been getting our monies worth the past few years.

 

Ive been up to the club level a few times. Got a free massage and got to eat at the buffet. It's pretty nice. But like you said, you PAY dearly for those privileges.

I totally see Goodells point. Why make the trip, the effort, the hassle, and spend the money when you can just sit at home and enjoy your own game time experience. While the NFL loves getting ratings, they can't put your game on in your area if fans arent filling up the seats. The titans are lucky, because many PSL owners are scalpers who try to make a buck. With out the scalpers, whos to say there wouldn't be blackouts in Tennessee? I was one of the few who still went to the games back in 04-05 and there were times when i just scoped out some seats that hadnt been occupied all game near the sidelines and we'd just move on down, no questions asked.

So many people forget, while you may have to put your hands over your childs ears and get the usher to escort the profane drunkards out of the stadium, those are now the same guys who are NOT buying tickets, and continuing to be profane and drunk inside the privacy of their own home. I'm not defending being unruly in public, I'm defending the fact that NFL ticket prices + hassle vs. the ease of staying at home may have reached a point to where they are going to have to give the customer more bang for their buck to get them to show up or risk the seats going unoccupied thus leaving scalpers out tons of money. Elasticity is the proper economics term, I believe.